---
title: Why'd the Fisherman say no to the Fish, mate, was he being mean? — Aesop's Fables, The Birdcatcher and th… · tree and pragmatics
description: Why'd the Fisherman say no to the Fish, mate, was he being mean? Test 7 · ★ of lesson 393 «Aesop's Fables, The Birdcatcher and the Cock, part 14: a bird begs for its life, a Cock argues, and many short animal tales follow» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pr
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/393-pg21-part14/t7/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [questions](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/) / [Books](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/) / [Aesop's Fables, The Birdcatcher and th…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/393-pg21-part14/) / t7

# Test 7 · ★ · Aesop's Fables, The Birdcatcher and the Cock, part 14: a b…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Why'd the Fisherman say no to the Fish, mate, was he being mean?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Fisherman · **What happens:** say, be · **To what, where:** Fish · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 7 · ★ of lesson 393 «Aesop's Fables, The Birdcatcher and the Cock, part 14: a bird begs for its life, a Cock argues, and many short animal tales follow» of the books course of Mova's primary school. The page gives the question's syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause, then the 4 options as the student saw them, each with its tree and pragmatics. Every text is parsed by Mova itself. How the student answered it, with the score of every option and why: [the test at school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/books/393-pg21-part14/#t7).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:393-pg21-part14:t7:1
# text = Why'd the Fisherman say no to the Fish, mate, was he being mean?
1	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	'd	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	Fisherman	Fisherman	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	say	say	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	advcl	_	_
6	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	9	det	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	Fish	Fish	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	mate	mate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	vocative	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
13	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	16	cop	_	_
14	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
15	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	16	cop	_	_
16	mean	mean	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	16	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | would | the Fisherman | no Fish |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent fish=Topic |
| 2 | **is** | past | Fisherman |  |  |  |  | mean *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He figured a small fish now was worth more than a promise of a huge one that might never show up

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:393-pg21-part14:t7:o1:1
# text = He figured a small fish now was worth more than a promise of a huge one that might never show up
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	figured	figure	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	fish	fish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	8	advmod	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	worth	worth	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
9	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp|ExtPos=ADV	12	advmod	_	_
10	than	than	ADP	IN	_	9	fixed	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	promise	promise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	huge	huge	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	_
17	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	20	nsubj	_	_
18	might	might	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	20	aux	_	_
19	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	20	advmod	_	_
20	show	show	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	acl:relcl	_	_
21	up	up	ADP	RP	_	20	compound:prt	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **figure** | past | He | a small fish |  |  |  |  | vn amalgamate-22.2-3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fish=Patient |
| 2 | **is** | past |  |  |  |  | now | a promise of a huge one *obl*; worth *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **not** **show up** | might | a huge one |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **promise** |  |  | a huge one |  |  |  |  | nom promise «communication transitive»: of=patient |

### Option 2 · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He'd rather have a sure catch than a maybe

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:393-pg21-part14:t7:o2:1
# text = He'd rather have a sure catch than a maybe
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	'd	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	rather	rather	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	sure	sure	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	catch	catch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	than	than	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	nmod	_	_
10	maybe	maybe	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | would | He | a sure catch |  |  |  | than a; maybe *property* | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent catch=Patient |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He thought the Fish was lying to him and wanted to cook it at home before the market closed

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:393-pg21-part14:t7:o3:1
# text = He thought the Fish was lying to him and wanted to cook it at home before the market closed
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	thought	think	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	Fish	Fish	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	lying	lie	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	ccomp	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obl	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	wanted	want	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	cook	cook	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	xcomp	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	_
14	at	at	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	home	home	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
16	before	before	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	market	market	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
19	closed	close	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	18	acl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **think** *speech: other* | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn consider-29.9-2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **lie** | past · progressive | the Fish |  | him *= he* |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **want** | past | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 4 | **cook** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | He *not said here* | Fish |  | home | before the market |  | vn cooking-45.3 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent it=Patient |
| 5 | **close** | participle |  | the market *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He'd take the certain one, not the maybe

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:393-pg21-part14:t7:o4:1
# text = He'd take the certain one, not the maybe
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	'd	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	certain	certain	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	obl	_	_
10	maybe	maybe	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | would | He | the certain one |  |  |  | the *obl*; maybe *property* | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent one=Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the tests of Mova's primary school, written for Mova (`world/data/school/`), as the course runner gave them to the student. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each text read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [Aesop's Fables, The Birdcatcher and th…, test 6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/393-pg21-part14/t6/)
- next →: [Aesop's Fables, The Birdcatcher and th…, test 8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/393-pg21-part14/t8/)
- ↑ back to [Aesop's Fables, The Birdcatcher and the Cock, part 14: a bird begs for its life, a Cock argues, and many short animal tales follow](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/393-pg21-part14/)